Artists Ro Murray and Mandy Burgess took several months to make the hands, as their response to the global refugee crisis and what they regard as Australia’s inhumane off-shore detention centres.

Ro drove the hands in her ute to Milton from Newtown.

With the help of Milton friend Dorothy Buck, she installed the work one morning in another friend’s garden. 

She then pulled them down and repeated the episode at Collers Beach in the afternoon.

Both setups were to enable outdoor photo shoots, to enter the Sculptures at Killalea festival at Shellharbour in mid-October.

“The ideas of asking for help and extending a hand are what Mandy and I had in mind. We call the exhibit We Are All Strangers,” Ms Murray said.

“Entry to art prizes and awards are made with submission of photos.

“Luckily another friend of a friend, Ken Banks, was available on the spur of the moment to take the photos.”

On her trip, Ro also wanted to visit Nowra as a reconnaissance for the Meroogal Women’s Art Prize.

This prize solicits entries specifically about the four generations of women who have lived in Meroogal, a historic home owned and managed by Sydney Living Museums.

She has entered 10 pink Hands A-Helping, symbolising how the women worked in the times before mechanisation, plus a series of lithographic family tree prints.

Murray and Burgess are mature age graduates from the National Art School, Darlinghurst.

 Both architects, they have different art practices but have collaborated to enable them to produce large scale installations.

Murray has a multidisciplinary practice in printmaking, drawing and sculpture.

She has completed several solo exhibitions, residencies and been selected as a finalist for many art prizes and awards.

“I focus on thorny topics on the news, from extreme fire warnings to human rights,” she said.

Burgess has shown in several group exhibitions.

Her art evolves from the materials and making, especially paper making.